Process for partial shaping of flat glass or glass-ceramic articles and apparatus for performing same

ABSTRACT

In the process for partially shaping, a glass/glass ceramic article ( 5 ) is held on a planar support plate ( 1 ) by suction. The glass/glass ceramic article is heated to soften it, so that it has a viscosity below 10 6  dPa·s. After the softening one or more shaping dies ( 4 ) is or are moved upward through an opening or respective openings ( 3 ) in the support plate to form raised regions in the softened glass/glass ceramic article ( 5 ). The suction force is produced by a low pressure in a hollow compartment ( 2 ) below the support plate ( 1 ) and acts on the glass/glass ceramic article ( 5 ) by means of a gap (G) formed between each shaping die ( 4 ) and the support plate. Additional openings can be provided in the support plate and/or in one or more of the shaping dies to assist in applying the suction force to the glass/glass ceramic article. After solidification of the softened glass/glass-ceramic article the shaping die or dies ( 4 ) is or are withdrawn. Then the partially shaped glass/glass ceramic product is removed by compressed air and/or mechanically with lifting members ( 8 ). An apparatus for performing this process is also described.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/086,151,filed Feb. 28, 2002, which has now matured into U.S. Pat. No. 6,990,835,issued on Jan. 31, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a process for partial shaping of flatglass or comparable glass-ceramic articles. It also relates to anapparatus for performing that process.

2. Description of the Related Art

A pre-shaped flat glass article, which comes in the form of a table orin the form of an endless sheet, and/or a correspondingly formedglass-ceramic article, frequently must be partially shaped for certainapplication purposes. This shaping includes, for example, the formationof a turned up or raised edge region around a hole, the flanging of anouter edge or the formation of depressed or raised regions in glassytable tops, glass doors or glass-ceramic cook tops.

In practice different shaping methods have been used for this purpose.The shaping techniques according to the prior art include sinking underits own weight, pressing, imprinting or vacuum drawing.

A substantial disadvantage of the method of sinking under its own weightis the limited degree of shaping that can be obtained. Only limitedforms can be obtained, especially sharp edged shapes or narrow radii.

The main disadvantage of the pressing and imprinting methods is that aforming material or tool must come into contact with the surface of theglass or the glass-ceramic part so that there is an inherent qualityloss at the surface.

The disadvantage of vacuum drawing is the necessity of positive contactwith the edge region or rim of the glass or glass-ceramic part aroundthe shaping region, so that no vacuum loss arises at the onset of theshaping process. Usually the process is exclusively used for drawingsoftened glass and/or glass-ceramic masses into cavities of a mold thatis planar at the edges.

A process and associated apparatus for making glass bodies forelectronic tubes, especially display screen parts, are disclosed in DE25 28 421 A1. In this process a substantially planar glass plate isreceived in a holding or clamping unit at its rim or edge region as astarting product (semi-finished product). It is then heated over thesoftening point of the glass in a burner and then shaped by means of asuitably formed die or press member. The holding or clamping unit isgenerally formed so that overpressure or under pressure can be producedin the space under the glass plate, whereby the shaping process of theglass plate can also be influenced. In case of an under pressure anactual vacuum drawing method is described.

These known methods however cannot be used for the partial shaping offlat glass and/or comparable glass-ceramic articles or parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process andassociated apparatus of the above-described kinds for partial shaping ofa glass or glass ceramic article, so that concave contours of a complexnature can be provided in a flat glass or glass ceramic article bybringing a shaping die or tool into contact with only one side of theflat glass or flat glass ceramic article.

This object and others, which will be made more apparent hereinafter,according to one aspect of the present invention, are attained by aprocess for partial shaping of a flat glass part or a glass ceramic partcomprising the steps of:

a) placing a flat glass or glass ceramic article on a planar supportwith an entire facing surface of the flat glass or glass ceramic articleresting fully on the planar support, the planar support having at leastone through-going shaping opening in a shaping region;

b) producing a low pressure in a space below the planar support to holdthe flat glass or glass ceramic article fixed on the planar support;

c) partially heating the flat glass or glass ceramic article in thevicinity of the shaping region on the planar support until at least apart of the flat glass or glass ceramic article softens;

d) providing at least one shaping die in the at least one through-goingshaping opening in the planar support in an initial position below theflat glass or glass ceramic article on the planar support prior to thepartial shaping, preferably with a gap between the at least one shapingdie and a respective edge of the planar support at the at least onethrough-going opening to assist in fixing or holding the flat glass orglass ceramic article on the planar support by means of the lowpressure;

e) raising the at least one shaping die provided in the at least onethrough-going shaping opening over a predetermined distance into thesoftened part of the glass or glass ceramic article at the same time asthe producing of the low pressure in the space below the planar support;

f) then cooling a partially shaped glass or glass ceramic product formedfrom the glass or glass ceramic article by the heating, the low pressureand the raising of the at least one shaping die;

g) withdrawing the at least one shaping die from a solidified portion ofthe partially shaped glass or glass ceramic product; and

h) removing the partially shaped glass or glass ceramic product from thesupport plate.

The above object and others, which will be made more apparenthereinafter, according to another aspect of the present invention, areattained by an apparatus for partial shaping of flat glass or comparableglass ceramic parts comprising

a planar support plate for receiving and supporting a flat glass orglass ceramic article so that the flat glass or glass ceramic articlerests with an entire surface thereof fully on the planar support plate,the planar support plate being arranged over a substantially airtighthollow compartment and having at least one through-going shaping openingto the substantially airtight hollow compartment;

a respective shaping die engaged in each of the at least onethrough-going shaping opening with a predetermined peripheral gapbetween each shaping die and the planar support plate, so that eachshaping die is substantially flush with an upper surface of the planarsupport plate in an initial position and is movable upward from thatinitial position to extend to a predetermined displaced position abovethe upper surface of the planar support plate;

vacuum-producing means for producing a low pressure in the airtightcompartment;

heating means for partially heating the glass or glass ceramic articlein the vicinity of the at least one through-going shaping opening priorto performing the partial shaping; and

ejecting means for removing a finished glass or glass ceramic productfrom the planar support plate after the partial shaping.

The features according to the invention not only facilitate theformation of concave contours or shapes in cavities by vacuum drawing orsuction, but also at the same time permit the formation of raised orembossed regions with tight radii and complex contours while onlycontacting the shaping tool or die on a bottom side of the article.

In a preferred embodiment of the process a rapid and effective heatingof the glass or glass ceramic article takes place by means of IRradiation or gas burner.

An accurate shaping is possible in the process according to theinvention when a partial heating to reach a glass or glass ceramicmaterial viscosity below 10⁶ dPa·s is performed.

In the case of glass ceramic articles in a preferred embodiment of theprocess the heating is performed during a time interval of less than 30s, because of the great tendency of glass ceramic material tocrystallize.

In preferred embodiments of the process for partial shaping the coolingof the partially shaped glass or glass ceramic product is assisted byblowing air or directing an air stream at the partially shaped glass orglass ceramic article so that the processing time is short.

To guarantee a reliable and safe removal of the partially shaped glassor glass ceramic product the glass or glass ceramic product is raised bymeans of lifting pins or members and/or by action of compressed air.

Various embodiments of the apparatus for partial shaping of the glass orglass ceramic article are possible.

In order to provide the highest possible service life the planar supportplate and shaping die are made from heat-resistant metal or a ceramicmaterial.

The operation of the shaping die is especially easy when a verticallymovable base plate is arranged in the airtight hollow compartment sothat it can travel vertically in the airtight hollow compartment. A ramis rigidly connected with the shaping die or dies, whose lengthdetermines the shaping height or depth in the softened glass or glassceramic article. The ram is mounted on or attached to the base plate, sothat the shaping die or dies move upward from an initial position intothe softened glass or glass ceramic article when the base plate movesvertically upward.

In preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention thesupport plate and/or the shaping die has additional passages or holesand/or is made from a porous material in order to provide the mostsecure support of the glass or glass ceramic article during shaping.

In various advantageous preferred embodiments of the apparatus liftingpins or members and/or means for supplying compressed air are providedin order to provide a safe and secure removal of the partially shapedglass or glass ceramic product from the apparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The objects, features and advantages of the invention will now beillustrated in more detail with the aid of the following description ofthe preferred embodiment, with reference to the accompanying soleFIGURE, which is a cross-sectional view through a preferred embodimentof the apparatus for partial shaping of a glass or glass ceramic articleor part according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment of the apparatus for partial shaping of glassor glass ceramic parts shown in the FIGURE includes a support plate 1,preferably made of a heat-resistant metal, e.g. 17% chromium steel, orfrom ceramic material, e.g. from silicon dioxide. The support plate 1 isarranged over a substantially airtight hollow compartment 2. However thesupport plate 1 is provided with a plurality of through-going holes orthrough-going shaping openings 3. Shaping dies 4 are arranged in therespective holes 3, which are made from the above-described material,and fit in the respective holes 3 with a comparatively small gap Gbetween them and the adjacent edge of the support plate 1. At thebeginning of a shaping process the shaping dies 4 are in an initialposition flush with an upper surface of the support plate 1. A planarglass sheet 5 to be partially shaped rests with its facing surface fullyon the support plate 1 but with another surface on a side opposite fromthe facing surface free of contact with any part of the apparatus.

During the shaping a vacuum or low pressure is produced in the nearlyairtight hollow compartment 2 under the support plate 1 by a pump orvacuum-producing device 10. The glass sheet 5 is thus drawn down ontothe support plate 1 and held there.

The glass sheet 5 to be partially shaped, at least in the shaping regionin the vicinity of the shaping dies, is heated by a heating means 9,until it softens, i.e. until the viscosity of the glass is preferablybelow 10⁶ dPa·s. The heating means 9 is preferably an IR radiator or agas burner. In the case of a glass ceramic article this heating processshould be performed very rapidly (<30 sec) to about 1000° C. because ofthe higher tendency of the glass ceramic material to crystallize. Thushigh heating power (up to 1 MW/m²) is usually required in the case ofglass ceramic articles.

A base plate 6 is provided under the hollow compartment 2, on which aram or rams 7 are arranged. The shaping die or dies 4 are firmlyattached to the ram or respective rams 7. During the partial shaping thebase plate 6 is raised far enough so that the shaping die or dies 4 arelifted or raised by means of the ram or rams 7 over the desiredpredetermined shaping distance. Different embodiments can providedifferent shaping depths or heights in the glass or glass ceramicarticle with different base plates 6 having different rams of differentlengths for several shaping dies 4.

The drawing force provided by the vacuum or low pressure in the hollowcompartment 2 can act on the glass article 5 because of the gap G formedbetween the shaping die 4 and the support plate 1 at the respectivethrough-going shaping openings 3 in the support plate 1. Additionalholes provided in the shaping dies 4 and/or the support plate 1 assistin permitting the suction to act on the glass sheet or article 5 to bepartially shaped. Furthermore if the support plate 1 and/or the shapingdies 4 are made of porous material the suction can act even more easilyon the glass article 5.

According to the particular side of the glass or glass ceramic articlethat rests on the support plate 1 or is actually used, depressed regionsor raised regions are formed in the facing side of the glass or glassceramic article.

After subsequent solidification of the glass sheet or article because ofcooling after turning the heating means off, the shaping die or dies 4are withdrawn by lowering the base plate 6. Then the partially shapedglass product is raised by means of lifting members 8 so that it can beremoved from the apparatus. Alternatively or in addition, compressed aircan be used to remove the shaped glass article.

The remaining parts of the apparatus that have not been described areconventional components of a unit for glass processing, for example themovable machine beds, the associated warming ovens, etc.

The disclosure in German Patent Application 101 10 357.3-45 of Mar. 3,2001 is incorporated here by reference. This German Patent Applicationdescribes the invention described hereinabove and claimed in the claimsappended hereinbelow and provides the basis for a claim of priority forthe instant invention under 35 U.S.C. 119.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in aprocess for partial shaping of flat glass or glass-ceramic articles andapparatus for performing same, it is not intended to be limited to thedetails shown, since various modifications and changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed is new and is set forth in the following appendedclaims.

1. An apparatus for partial shaping of a flat glass or glass ceramicpart, said apparatus comprising: a planar support plate having an upperplane surface on which an entire facing surface of the flat glass orglass ceramic article rests fully during the partial shaping, whereinsaid planar support plate is provided with at least one through-goingshaping opening in a shaping region; means for producing a low pressurein a hollow compartment below the planar support plate to hold the flatglass or glass ceramic article fixed on the planar support plate duringthe partial shaping so that the flat glass or glass ceramic articleextends over and covers the at least one through-going shaping opening;means for partially heating the flat glass or glass ceramic article inthe vicinity of the shaping region on the planar support plate until atleast a part of the flat glass or glass ceramic article softens; atleast one shaping die arranged in the at least one through-going shapingopening in the planar support plate in an initial position prior to thepartial shaping, in which the at least one shaping die is flush with theupper plane surface of the planar support plate; means for raising theat least one shaping die arranged in the at least one through-goingshaping opening over a predetermined shaping distance into said part ofsaid flat glass or glass ceramic article that is softened by said meansfor partially heating during the partial shaping at the same time as themeans for producing the low pressure in said hollow compartment belowthe planar support plate is operated to produce the low pressure andthus hold the flat glass or glass ceramic article fixed on the planarsupport plate over the at least one through-going opening; means forcooling a partially shaped flat glass or glass ceramic product formedfrom the flat glass or glass ceramic article by said means for saidpartially heating, said means for producing said low pressure and saidmeans for said raising of said at least one shaping die; means forwithdrawing said at least one shaping die from a solidified portion ofthe partially shaped flat glass or glass ceramic product; means forremoving the partially shaped flat glass or glass ceramic product fromthe planar support plate; wherein the means for producing the lowpressure generates a drawing force during the partial shaping that actson the flat glass or glass ceramic article to hold the flat glass orglass ceramic article on the planar support plate with an entire side ofthe flat glass or glass ceramic article free from contact with any partof the apparatus during the partial shaping; and wherein said entireside of the flat glass or class ceramic article is opposite from a sideof the flat glass or glass ceramic article on which the entire facingsurface that faces the planar support plate is located.
 2. The apparatusas defined in claim 1, wherein said planar support plate and said atleast one shaping die are made from a heat-resistant metal.
 3. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said planar support plate andsaid at least one shaping die are made from ceramic material.
 4. Theapparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for raising and saidmeans for withdrawing the at least one shaping die comprise at least oneram rigidly connected to said at least one shaping die and a verticallymovable base plate provided in the hollow compartment, and wherein saidat least one ram is fixed to said vertically movable base plate in thehollow compartment and has a predetermined length according to apredetermined height of a shaped region to be formed in the flat glassor glass ceramic article.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1,wherein the planar support plate is provided with through-going holes oris made from a porous material to assist in providing a suction force onthe flat glass or glass ceramic article when said means for producingsaid low pressure acts to produce said low pressure in the hollowcompartment and said flat glass or glass ceramic article rests on theplanar support plate.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, whereinthe at least one shaping die is provided with through-going holes or ismade from a porous material to assist in providing a suction force onthe flat glass or glass ceramic article resting on the support platewhen said means for producing said low pressure acts to produce said lowpressure in the hollow compartment and said flat glass or glass ceramicarticle rests on the planar support plate.
 7. The apparatus as definedin claim 1, wherein the means for removing the partially shaped flatglass or glass ceramic product from the planar support plate comprisesmechanical means for raising the partially shaped flat glass or glassceramic product.
 8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein themechanical means comprises lifting members for lifting the partiallyshaped glass or glass ceramic product.
 9. The apparatus as defined inclaim 1, wherein said means for partially heating the flat glass orglass ceramic article is a gas burner or IR radiator that has a heatingpower of up to 1 MW/m².
 10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid at least one shaping die is formed so that raised or embossedregions of complex shapes are formed in the fiat glass or glass ceramicarticle.